Nightmare Before Thanksgiving
by HeathyrFeathyr
Summary: A young girl, daughter of the Pumpkin King, has a turn in her life, but later the now teenage Shawna (daughter of Jack and Sally) gives her father the brilliant idea to take over Thanksgiving on accident, and it's a mess like Christmas was! Can she fix he
1. The Change

PUMPKIN PRINCESS

(This is my first Fan Fiction story, so if it really sucks tell me nicely so I'm not crushed. My second one's better, I promise! Please Read and Rate! Thanx! Enjoy!)

Ever since Jack and Sally Skellington had their daughter on that cold and foggy Halloween night they have treasured her more than you can imagine (I know, I know, it starts all mushy, but it gets better!). Everybody loved her very much because she was such a charmer, but she was different than them (gasp). She was human (bum-bum-bum). The first human born in Halloween Town in 800 years. But Jack and Sally didn't care; they loved her with all their hearts. But something went wrong…

"Good afternoon Shawna," Jack greeted as his only child trotted down the stairs," how are you?" The little 6 year old human noticed her father eating spider-leg and frog's breath cookies (yummy!), her favorite.Shawna jumped on a chair, stole a cookie, and ran half way up the stairs. She turned around, looked at Jack's tiny grin, and ran to room. Jack began pursuit, a playful smile much like Shawna's on his face. "Come here, you!" shouted Jack as he barged him her room. Jack picked up Shawna, swung her onto her bed, and tickled her.

"Ha-ha! S-stop! Stop!" she cried out. At that moment she took a huge bite of the cookie.

"Oh no you didn't!" Jack told his 6 year old daughter and tickled her faster.

Screaming doorbell (THAT'S SSOO C-UH-OOL! I made a word!)

Jack looked out of the bedroom door and then at Shawna. He ruffled her dark-golden-brown-reddish (Whoa, that's long!) hair, smiled, and walked to the front door. As he opened the door the doorbell rang again.

"Oh, Jack," the Mayor sobbed," Shawna has to go!"

"WHAT?" Jack cried out.

"The Council of Holiday Worlds (I made up important people! You MUST ask me for permission to use them, O.K.? THANX!) has passed a law that states no humans in the Holiday Worlds. You have until tomorrow to get rid of her." He sorrowfully replied. And with that the mayor sauntered out, sniffling down the front steps and trough the gate. Shawna ambled in the room and noticed her dad's depressed expression.

"Who was it daddy?" she asked with fear in her eyes.

"Nobody sweetie," he said roughly on the verge of tears, "nobody." Jack crouched and held her head as close to his chest as he could (she's 6, she's short!). As Sally walked in he released Shawna and motioned for his wife to come to their bedroom to talk. Sally knew this would be bad.


	2. Surprise!

Chapter 2: Fate Occurs

Note: The last chapter was VERY short, but I'll try not to do it again. Promise. I had to get to school fast, so there wasn't much time and my computer was gonna get sent off to be fixed and yadda-yadda. In case you're wondering, I know my summary and story don't match up, well that's 'cause my computer mixed up this story and that summary, but I'll just combine 'em, no biggie. Shawna and Kelsey _are _the same person, but that's ahead, you'll see. I'm a Keith Urban (country) fan (big one), and so later he'll be mentioned. That's it, oh, and I reject reality and substitute with my own. Thanx for my first review, ladybirdbuzz, I appreciate it. Everyone else, REVIEW!

"That makes no sense!" Sally yelled in anger (grrrrr) to Jack. She knew it wasn't his fault, but it was impossible not to yell.

"I know!" Jack yelled back (grrrrr again). How could such a ruthless council expect them to just give up their precious child? Down the hall Shawna was crying (boo-hoo). She had no clue what was happening. All she knew was that her parents were screaming at each other, and she heard her name yelled plenty of times; therefore she _must_ be the problem. She thought it was her fault completely.

The next morning Jack knew what he had to do, but he couldn't get out of bed to do so. It would be too hard.

He noticed Sally was out of bed already, but he knew she wouldn't release Shawna without him. No worries there (whew!). Jack curled up in a ball under his covers in all attempts to never have to go do the deed. Jack eventually came downstairs to find Sally and Shawna in the living room on the couch awaiting departure. Sally had informed Shawna about what was going on today, and she was almost done crying her young eyes out. Jack had already gotten dressed, so they left, but not before Shawna grabbed a cookie (addicted at age 6, that's sad).

The family trudged silently to the portal that connected the mortal realm and Halloween town in the graveyard. The Mayor and Dr. Finklestein greeted the Skellingtons there.

"This will erase her memory of this world when she gets to the mortal realm." Dr. Finklestein explained as he injected Shawna with a shot of green liquid (pain!).

"OUCH!" Shawna screamed as the needle punctured her skin. Sally was already crying, but Jack tried to bottle up his tears, which failed when he heard his daughter's cry of pain. Everybody told Shawna goodbye and let her enter the swirling vortex of black and red (awesome colors!).Shawna stepped in the portal, waving bye-bye (couldn't help it!). The last thing little Miss Skellington heard in the portal was the Mayor's voice saying _"she can come back at the age of 15."_

9 years later

Halloween night. Kelsey's (A.K.A. Shawna, Kelsey's her mortal realm name) favorite night. She didn't know why, but it felt kinda homey on October 31st. She opened her bedroom door and entered. Kelsey plopped down on her bed, turned on a light, and began reading the book _Nightmare on Elm Street_ right where she left off, but soon dropped the book in fright, for there was a black pool engulfing her room starting from the corner by her desk. She had read in a book about the paranormal that the supernatural play eye tricks on you sometimes, so she felt a bit more rational. When the pool swallowed her up, however, she lost it. 15 year old Kelsey screamed like never before in her life. Black and red swirled around her faster and faster. She felt a cold, hard surface slam into her rear, so she knew she had landed somewhere. She stood to see a land she'd only seen in her dreams. It looked so real, she forgot the 'eye trick' theory and started being amazed. Gray and black stone buildings stood mountainous above what seemed to be a town. To Kelsey's immediate right was a gray stone fountain spurting a thick, foggy, green liquid. A skeleton began approaching and she ran, she didn't know why, but he was CREEPY, like he's from a horror film (Scream). Kelsey stopped, turned, and quit running, she wouldn't flee without a fight or conversation to understand this place.

"What's your name?" Skeleton-man asked when he arrived at her coordinates.

"Kelsey Birche." She replied. GOD! What happened to the 'don't talk to strangers' rule (Idiot!)? The bone man nodded.

"You live…. Where? "the skeleton interrogated further.

"San Antonio, Texas, why?" Kelsey answered. STUPID-HEAD (tee-hee-hee)! WHY WOULDN'T SHE SHUT UP!

"I'm Jack Skellington, you lied about your name, and I'm your father." Jack told Kelsey matter-of-factly. _Good, I know his name, WHAT! I didn't lie! He is NOT MY FATHER!_ She thought after hearing this guy talk.

"LIAR!" She shouted fiercely, and pointed at Jack harshly.

"No, You see….," Jack began to explain. He put his boney arm on Kelsey's shoulder and told her the story of a Skellington family with a young cookie loving daughter…….

Note: THAT was long to type! I know, it's short, but I'll type longer ones. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review, and thanks again, ladybirdbuzz! Ooooohhh, shiny tater tots……..


	3. School Days

Nightmare Before Thanksgiving

Note: This is a type of…. experiment if you will. I've had this idea for them to make this story a Nightmare Before Christmas (N.B.C.) sequel, but I'll just post it on Fan Fiction and live with it. Don't beat me with a stick 'cause you don't like it, just tell me how to improve it with the rate thing-uh-muh-jigger-muh-dooder. Wow, Microsoft Word doesn't like that last word! Oh, well. F.Y.I. Kelsey and Jonathan in my story are the only humans in Halloween town. I think that's pretty much it. Now back to my Keith Urban (who is SOOOO CUTE!) C.D. _It's the sweet love that you give to me that makes me believe…_ Oh, and I'll tell you one of my cool phrases every chapter. This one's: _Leprechauns Tell Me To Burn Things (L.T.M.T.B.T.)_

"_I'm changin' lanes and talkin' on the phone and drivin' way too fast_," I sang while walking across town to school, recalling the lyrics to the song _Days Go By_ on my Keith Urban C.D. I bought in the mortal realm,_ "and the interstate's jammed with gunners like me afraid of comin' in last. But somewhere in the race we run, we're comin' undone, and days go by, I can feel 'em flyin' like a hand out the window in the wind. The cars go by; yeah it's all we've been given, so you better start livin' right now. And days go by."_ By now I had made my way into my school (Trick-or-Treat High School) and down the hallways to 1st period Reading (P.S. This is my school schedule). I squeezed through the black desks to get to my seat and sat promptly when the morning bell blared through the building.

"Up again," I moaned through gritted teeth as I stood for the pledge, "always when I get comfy."

"I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the scary town of Halloween. And to the republic, for which it stands, one nation, with the devil, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." The whole class dronely responded to the intercom turning on.

"Please remain standing for a moment of silence." came principle Surcease's voice from the speakers. 45 seconds passed and we were seated. Our teacher Mrs. Cessation took control from there at the front of the classroom.

"Today we will continue with our self-paced novels. So, everybody, come get your books!" she informed us in her kind voice. I forced myself out of my chair and dragged my body to the front desk. I picked up a copy of _The Penumbral Apportion_ and got seated for the 3rd time today in row 3, seat 5. I flipped to page 259 and began to read where I left off on Friday.

_Fagin had done it again. He had fooled another gullible human being into his plan to dispose of Demetrius for slaying his daughter. Arthur, the idiot, had agreed to this evil deed, thinking_ _it was for the pretend_ _movie Fagin had set up to throw off suspicion. That night Arthur raised the ax behind the sleeping Demetrius and-_

"Kelsey! Come here!" Mrs. Cessation called me to her desk. Sullenly I trudged to her coordinates. It was just getting good, too. When I arrived I noticed the unpleased look on my educator's face. Oh, boy. This won't be good.

"Yes, ma'am?" I sweetly tried to lighten the awaited harshness .I think I just made it worse by sucking-up.

"Kelsey, where's your project, the one on persuasion and purpose?"

"Uh, it's, um… I think it's in my binder." I lied. I knew where it was. It was undone. Not even started. It totally slipped my mind until now. Great, what do I do when I 'look' for it and it's not there? Say I…_lost_ it. Yeah, it _'fell'_ out. I went to 'fetch' my paper and came back empty handed with a false worried expression on my face. Mrs. Cessation bought it to my surprise; I guess dad was right when he said I'd make a great actress. Whadda ya know. I sat down and wondered how I'd make it up. I have a dentist appointment at 10:40 and it probably won't be pretty or short. It turns out frog's breath is a burden on your teeth, but I can't keep out of the stuff, so I need tons of cavity pulls today. Perfect. _That night Arthur raised ax behind the sleeping Demetrius and-_

The bell rang suddenly and scared the bejezus outta me. I spent longer 'looking' for my 'lost' paper than I thought. Crud. On to 2nd period science! My absolutely favorite class was next! Yah! I emerged from the classroom and took a left towards the staircase to get to room 2021, my science room. I found my boyfriend Jonathan waiting for me at the foot of the steps. We always walked to 2nd period together, even though he was next door to my classroom. We clasped our hands together and went up the staircase.

"How you been, Kels?" he asked caringly, giving my hand a small squeeze.

"Alright, I guess." I simply answered. I decided to leave out the project. We reached the top and turned left towards the labs.

"I, uh, got you something for your birthday." Jonathan blurted out of nowhere. It was my birthday, oh, yeah! Duh!

"Really! What, Joe (nickname)!" I perturbedly squeaked.

"I'll drop by at your place after school to give it to you. You'll flip out." Joe told me. I hated when he stimulated me and made me wait to find out. I knew it was playful bantering, but it wasn't fair. Oh, well. We reached my class and gave each other a _see ya later_ hug. I walked through the door of the class and sat by my friend/lab partner Abby. We greeted each other and awaited Mr. Sanguinary's instructions. He handed out essay questions to answer about our personal labs and ordered us to start our labs up. Friday me and Abs (nickname) chose to examine the brain lobes, so we withdrew our textbooks for brain diagrams from our desks.

"Did you get your present from Jonathan yet?" Abby asked excitedly.

"Naw, he said I'd get it later." I said, depressed. I couldn't take the suspense. That's when it hit me. I should've lied so she'd talk about it and I'd know what the mystery present was. Dang it. I hate how I'm slow at being sly sometimes. Curses.

Before long 3rd period rolled around and I was hall bound again. It was 10:25 I noted. I reached the choir room in 2 minutes at placed my binder on the 'binder shelf' as we called it. Choir started momentarily and we began with the Halloween town 'Theme Song'. After that it was a song by Obscura Inert. Then the intercom crackled to life.

"Kelsey Skellington, please report to the front office, Kelsey Skellington." it said dully. That was my cue. I grabbed my binder and headed to the office for dad to pick me up for my tooth pulling fiasco. As I left the choir room a few kids _oohhh!_ed immaturely, but who cares. I started singing Keith Urban's _You're My Better Half _down the hall and life was good, until I got my teeth pulled, of course.


	4. The Thought of It

Ch. 4

NOTE: Sorry I haven't updated for….. a long time (I dunno how long). Due to some statements I've been told by my friends I'll explain some things. 1. Thanksgiving will be mentioned in this chapter (finally!). 2. I totally forgot to say that I don't (sorrowfully) own any characters from the movie, so there you are, my statement. 3…..will come back to my memory later. This chapter takes place on (runs to check calendar) the last Thursday of November (A.K.A. Thanksgiving). The following saying of mine was personally adopted from Keith Urban (he said it, it's on the Be Here booklet, I adopt it, it's unofficially mine, I say it, and it's truthful to life): Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. Oh, 3. is sorry for the cheap story title and Ch. Names.NO MORE SCHOOL, YEAH!

Dad was driving me home from the dentist in his new, slick '53 Cadillac (: P) (that's a smiley, just so you smiley identification challenged people know). I was doped up on nova cane from Dentist Moron, as I now call him for his accidental drug over dosage to me. Being so over loaded made my next depressed statement become heavily slurred.

"Wha uh aiul it or ankxivig (Translation: What a painful gift for Thanksgiving)." I managed to stumble out of my mouth, shocked at how uncoordinated it sounded. Dad gave me a weird look and handed me a notepad with a black pen. I grabbed them and wrote:

What a painful gift for Thanksgiving! Stupid dentist Moron…..

I handed my message to Dad, who chuckled but suddenly stopped. I thought he had hit a vampire again, but a sly smile crossed his face instead of fright of killing the undead. _GOD! I am SOOOO retarded_ (no offense at all)_! WHY did I have to tell him that?_ I thought, wanting to leap out the car window as personal punishment. We pulled into the driveway and immediately started Q&A's.

"Thanksgiving….?" Dad asked me with a slant to his voice that let me know the gears in his head were turning twice as fast as they would for regular ideas.

"It's nothing." I replied bluntly. We stepped into the house and continued, trailing through the kitchen.

"Not even for a cookie?" Dad asked, yanking out the pumpkin cookie jar. No, he knows my weakness. Don't give in…….

"Well, it's a holiday."

"What are the specifics?"

"That'll cost you another cookie."

"Oh, well."

"We eat turkey, celebrate the Pilgrim and Indian unison, have tons of food, give thanks for what we've got, and gather with family pretty much."

"Really?"

"Yep." Crud. I told him. This oughta be ugly later. sigh. Mom came in and grabbed the cookies from Dad.

"You know you're not supposed to bribe Kelsey with those." She scolded coldly.

"But…" Dad tried but couldn't find the words to defend himself. He walked off to the couch mumbling about God knows what this time. I shrugged my shoulders and jogged up the stairs to my room. I walked in my doorway, trotted past my Keith Urban posters, and popped on my radio (DON'T ask me how she gets mortal realm reception).

"Oh goody, Trick Pony." I chirped as I dug through my dresser drawers for long pants and a tank top to change into for comfort and later bed.

_It's a heartache, nothin' but a heartache, love until your arms break, get_

_ya when you're down. It's a fool's game, nothin' but a fool's game, standin'_

_in the cold rain, feelin' like a clown. It ain't right to need someone as much_

_as I depended on you. It ain't right, we love to share when you find he doesn't_

_care for you._

By now I was dressed in my P.J.'s so I switched off my radio and ran downstairs to watch T.V. until dinner was ready. Dad was already watching the tube, so I clicked on my lap top and loaded up my Keith Urban desktop. After some daydreaming of the hot New Zealand guy I accessed the internet and pulled up (coincidence, I think not!). I checked out some Anime stories and logged off to go eat dinner. I sat down and began cutting my bat brains until I noticed Dad looking at me.

"What?" I questioned.

"Where can I find 'turkey'?" he asked calmly.

"No! Forget it! I won't tell! You won't take over Turkey Day (Tee-hee-hee)!" I snapped.

"I'll find out. Now what about-"

"Lalalalalalala….. I can't hear you!"

"Kels-"

"_I'm gonna be here for ya baby, I'll be a man of my word, speak the language in a voice that you have never heard_…." I sang out Keith Urban's song _Makin' Memories of Us_ to tune out the quiz.

"Forget it." Dad groaned and I shut right up.

screaming doorbell

Oh no, Jonathan. I'm in my pajamas! Oh, well, it's at least not just a long shirt, I'm socially acceptable, I think. I hopped up from my seat and dashed to the front door.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hi," Joe replied," I brought your present."

Note: There, that oughta tide you guys over for a while (doorbell rings so I get up and answer only to find a package on my porch from a reader. I open it and there's a bomb). A short while! (mail man takes away the package and leaves) Whew! When last chapter I said 'Keith Urban would be mentioned', I was apparently under estimating how many times he popped up, oh well (shrugs shoulders). Look for my Star Wars Episode III story called…………….. maybe Alternate…… something, I dunno, but it'll be by me, JackFan7! You will read it (does Jedi hand wave)……….. you will review (waves again)…….. you will like it (waves once more)…….. you are a monkey (waves final time).


	5. The Prize

NOTE: YES! FINALLY AN UPDATE! It's been how long……. I don't even know! In fact I don't know what chapter number I'm on! I need to go online and find out! Okay you stupid butterfly, just connect me… what does that mean! Oh, I kinda need to put the phone jack in sheepish laugh. Okey-dokey, yeah, mail, hey you dumb computer, what are you doing! I've been disconnected! Why do you hate me, if it's 'cause I call you names, I do that _because_ you're mean to me. Great, I'm talkin' to my computer and typing it….. why? YES I WANT TO RECONNECT! Now to wait. **25 minutes later. _STILL_** dialing…uh… what's the number…70247218! Forget it; I'll retry the long way. SUCCESS! This is chappy five, as you knew and I didn't. Does_ anybody_ else out there find Hayden Christensen (Anakin in _Star Wars Episode III_)_ **totally**_ hot! Go ahead, read my little slaves--- I mean buddies. Enjoy!

"Awesome!" I said, bouncing up and down, the suspense was over! Black wrapping paper was the only thing that separated me from my first gift, Dad said he give me mine tomorrow morning. _Let's do this thing_ I thought as I slid my thumb underneath a taped down flap. The flap prized open, leaving me to lift one more. Oh, heck with it, now I just ripped it in half from here on out. I saw a strip of paper, a purple strip of paper with odd numbers on it. What do they mean? In all hopes of a translation I flipped it over and saw English words, words! Finally! It read:

**Country Music Awards**

**Live Performances By: Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Sugarland, Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, Jo Dee Messina, Dierks Bentley, Martina McBride, Trick Pony, Gretchen Wilson, Big& Rich, and so many more!**

**Row: 1**

**Seat: 4**

and some more junk, but I don't care yet, I need to gloss over what I had already had so much to feast my eyes on, absorb, and try to _believe_. Was it honestly happening to me? You betcha, at the bottom left hand corner there was a label that said: **Proof of Purchase**.

"You're quiet, did I mess up horrifically?" Jonathan timidly asked as he twiddled his thumbs, waiting for my response.

"Oh, God." I gasped. I fell over on my butt on the front porch and tried hard the little bit I could.

"Are you alright, Kels?" Joe was totally flipping out. His eyes were larger than bocce balls (the ones you try to toss closest to the little white ball to win) for Christ's sake.

"I- I'm- I'm going to- to-to go s-see K-Keith Urban **_live_** in-in con-concert," I managed to squeeze out with my short oxygen supply, " girly-boy-band-squealy-thing! Oh, Joe you are the absolutely best person, you're my savior, I **_so_** love you!" I wasn't even going to _consider_ kissing him, I _knew _Iwasabout to with no doubt.

**In The Mortal Realm**

I came out of the tiny crypt near Abby's (mortal friend, coincidental that one of my Halloween Town friends is named Abby) house and began running to the stadium of where my star love and other assorted country favorites were soon to perform.

"_The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun and go totally crazy, forget I'm a lady, men shirts, short skirts, oh-oh-oh…"_ sang out Shania Twain's_ Man! I Feel Like A Woman_ out of thorough joy. I arrived at the ticket stand thing and gave the man my ticket stub. He approved my entrance, handed me a program, and I skipped in towards my front row seat. Wait a minute, how did Joe get my ticket? Oh, well. I opened the program and read the song listings. I read off:

**Opening**

**Keith Urban: Somebody Like You**

**Days Go By**

**Makin' Memories Of Us**

**Dierks Bentley: Lot Of Leavin' Left To Do**

**Jo Dee Messina: My Give A Damn's Busted**

**Awards**

**Sugarland: Baby Girl**

**Something More**

**Shania Twain: Don't**

**Forever And For Always**

**I Ain't No Quitter**

**Man! I Feel Like a Woman**

**You're still The One**

**Toby Keith: Courtesy Of The Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)**

**As Good As I Once Was **

**Beer For My Horses (Duet with Willie Nelson) **

**Awards**

**Gretchen Wilson: Home Wrecker **

**Redneck Woman**

**When I Think About Cheatin' **

**Lee Ann Womack: I May Hate Myself In The Morning**

**There's More Where That Came **

**Big & Rich: Holy Water**

**Kick My Ass**

**Big Time**

**Awards**

**Martina McBride: God's Will**

**Concrete Angel**

**This One's For The Girls**

**Trick Pony: It's A Heartache**

**Reba McEntire: Somebody**

**He Gets That From Me**

**Awards**

**Surprise Guest**

and then I heard the sweet, angelic sound of the first measure of Keith Urban's _Somebody Like You _lingerin the air, so I slapped the program on my lap and forced the thought of me waking up out of my mind, but little did I know Dad was causing the largest moment of horror in my life while I watched my awesome Aussie sing his heart out.

NOTE: Yep, it's short, so? I honestly hope you enjoyed it, my brother got me in trouble so I've been grounded from the computer **_forever_**. Please review does puppy-dog face. I'll try to update A.S.A.P.!


	6. The Problem

NOTE: Once again, the long awaited update. Here is chappy 6……. I think, I'm NOT going online again to find out! All the lyrics and song titles/artists don't belong to me. Okay Eiri4Ever, that was a really creative idea to have Jack as the 'Special Guest', but I wasn't really planning that, so you won't have to die. Domo Nari Gauto or however you spell thanks in Japanese to all of you who were willing to take the risk and read my senseless stuff that I throw onto the internet, especially ladybirdbuzz and Eiri4Ever for reviewing each chapter and sticking to my story, no matter how weird and/or stupid it is/seems. I'm so proud of Keith Urban, not only is he nominated for 5 music awards in France, not only does he support St. Jude's Children's Hospital, not only did he participate in the Live 8 Recap on CMT on Saturday (An event to support the decisions about world-wide poverty), I'm using not only too much, I should honestly get to the point, but his hit song "Makin' Memories Of Us" has made it's 5th consecutive week at number one on the charts(and lots of other things I won't bother to mention)! Congrats!

As the guitar chord slowly faded everyone stood and applauded. Afterwards I made my way back to the crypt portal thing and I couldn't help but sing Jo Dee Messina's "Delicious Surprise (I Believe It)" to myself. I finally arrived home and jammed my skull-headed key into the lock and hated what I saw as the door opened. Dad. Turkey. Banners. Smokey concoctions that nobody can I.D.. And a smile, a smile the elided Oogie-Boogie would have himself.

"Oh, God," I gasped, "What is this!"

"This, my dear, is a sample of Thanksgiving." Dad replied wickedly. This couldn't seem to get worse, but I was dead wrong. The Mayor waddled out of the kitchen and smiled after chugging down a mouthful of liquidated rat eyes from the carton.

"This Thanksgiving idea is brilliant, Jack! Oh, hello, Kelsey, don't you agree?" he exclaimed.

"Do I **_agree_**! You really wanna know if I **_agree_**! I'll tell ya alright! No, I don't 'agree'! I think you're all insane! You can't adopt the **_CHEERY_** holiday! Infact, I think you'll fall on your face and jack up everything like you did with Xmas!"

"Xmas……." Dad pondered.

"Fine, Christmas, whatever you want to call it!" I yelled, grabbing the jug from the Mayor and slamming it on the table.

"Be rational! Why don't you believe in me, my ideas, an-"

"You're telling **_me_** to be rational! _Me _to be rational when you know that I specifically _told_ you to forget it and let me _try_ to have a normal life!" Okay, time. _Why_ did I explode like that? I dunno, but he still had no right to do this at all, Santa had told him to never attempt another holiday. I began to make my way up the stairs until I ran into my worst nightmare, my angry mom. She did _not_ let anything slide by. This would be bad. A meek smile spread across my face but dropped when Mom crossed her arms and slapped a depraved look on her face.

"Where were you?"

"Dad told me I could go to the CMA's an-"

"Not until 1:00 in the morning!"

"It's 1:00 in the morni- he didn't- I was-" It was impossible, there was no way to say something and not get into more trouble.

"Go to you-"

"I know, go to my room, straight to bed, grounded for a week, the works."

"Don't be smart with me." I winced. That probably wasn't a wise move. I slammed my door and jumped onto my bed. I picked up my phone and wondered why there was no dial tone, after all it wasn't broken. I poked my head in-between the wall and my bed where the phone jack was located, but no phone line what so ever. Wow, Mom was good….. real good…..

The next morning I hopped out from under my covers and snuck downstairs. Good, Dad was nowhere in sight. I couldn't face him after what went down last night. I jogged back up stairs to my room and slid jeans under my large pajama T-shirt and heard a noise. A bad noise. The noise of someone coming towards my room. Abby stepped into my door way and asked if I was ready to go. I told she could wait downstairs since I was almost finished. I quickly changed my shirt with a tank-top with Big & Rich on it I got from their tour a few months ago. I marched into the bathroom and filled a cup with water. Next I squirted some toothpaste in there and stirred it with a tooth-pick I found in my pocket. I poured the cups contents into my mouth and swished it around for awhile. I spit out the tooth cleaning mixture and went downstairs to have breakfast but dad began coming down the stairs. I freaked out and grabbed a hand-full of Fruity Pebbles and tossed them into my mouth. I reached for the milk when I got into the fridge and drank a mouthful from the carton. I chewed and swallowed as I grabbed Abby's arm and dragged her away from the turkey she was poking. I shoved her out the door and locked it behind us.

"What was that all about, Kels?" Abs asked as we turned the corner and exited our neighborhood.

"What was what?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Uh… what?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Forget it."

"Okay." I replied as we opened the school doors and entered the learning facility.

"Didn't you hear, there's gonna be a talent contest Friday after school?" Abby excitedly changed the subject as if it were important.

"So what?" I didn't quite get what she getting at.

"_So_! So everybody knows you're the best singer in choir, not to mention the school, possibly the whole town!"

"Alright, _now_ you're exaggerating. What's going on?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Someone is doing something or else you wouldn't urge me so much. What is it?"

"Kimberly said that she got her tonsils removed so she can't start her band like she wanted, so she'll give the winner of the talent show the opportunity and help to get their own band going, and we both know how to play the guitar, Ashley can play drums, Jennifer can play piano and guitar and we'd be paid and have fun and, well, yeah."

"I officially declare you……… insane."

"Come on, please!"

"groans Fine."

"Really!"

"Sure."

"Great, contest is the day after tomorrow at 7:00 in the Auditorium; you sign up in the cafeteria during lunch. Oh, and you provide your own music, they don't have musicians."

"Uh, okay."

"Good luck!" Abby told me as she turned to go her 1st period.

"Wait, I don't have drums, or cymbals, a piano, or-"

"Talk to the band director or something." And she was gone.

I shrugged my shoulders and walked into Reading class.

NOTE: Whew, that was long. Go ahead; click 'Submit' while I listen Jo Dee Messina, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Weird Al Yankovic, Deana Carter, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Reba McIntyre, Joe Nichols, Toby Keith, and Willie Nelson. Please give me suggestions, I'm almost out of ideas, I'm just throwing in whatever pops into my head! Country Forever!


	7. sigh Why Me?

NOTE: Whoa……….. I haven't been here for, like, ever ! Here goes:

"No!" Dad slammed down the weekly newspaper, I really shouldn't have pushed it. Well, I was already screwed, so why not?

"C'mon! Its ONE little contest after school---"

"You're grounded, Kelsey and you know it, and this will not be an exception!" Dad was really, and I mean REALLY, not gonna let me forget this for the rest of my life, I swear. I let out a long, deep sigh.

"I already signed up." I lied through gritted teeth, trying not to lose it 'cause this was just unfair.

"Then you just won't show up---"

"Says who!" I yelled, this would be Armageddon for me, but there was no way to back down now.

"I say and that is not a tone to show me!" I twitched my eye, a clear sign I couldn't get madder ((That happens to me )). I was about to scream everything out and most likely get massacred that moment, but Mom broke it up. Thank God she's got timing skills.

"Kelsey S. Skellington, you shut up right now or with God as my witness---"

"Why am I getting in trouble first, he sta---"

"KELSEY!" I silenced and looked down, maybe Mom would **_help_** Dad kill me, dunno……..

I knew what they would eventually say, so I began venturing to my room.

"Hold it!" Came Dad's piercing shout, what now? "You're not getting off so easy, you'll stay with your Aunt Mallaby ((Random thingy……. shrug)) for a week." My eyes widened, the ultimate punishment just arrived.

"Oh, c'mon, not her, can't I gouge my eyes out instead, it'd be much more fun and serene." I was desperate, **nobody **was worse than Aunt Mallaby; she's a wrinkly old butt nugget. ((LOL))

**LATER**

I sat curled up on her purple, spiked, stinky couch as Aunt Mallaby watched her 'stories'. Why couldn't old people say 'shows' or 'soap operas'? Point is, I was sick of watching her fart and watch boring 'comedies'. Tonight was worse than any other, what was I supposed to do?

"Go to bed." Croaked Aunt Mallaby, slowly turning to me.

"It's only……. 8:00." I said quietly, no reason to get on her bad side.

"Gooooooo." She held onto the 'o', causing a creepy chill to tickle her words. I shuddered and went to the office where a pillow and blanket awaited; the ol' prick wouldn't let me be in the guest room. This was, actually, better than most visits, yet I still can't see how she and Dad are related…….

It was still light out the window, well that is, light for Halloween Town, of course. The fog still blocked out most of the sun's rays, but it kept me awake none the less. I couldn't survive this for a week. For the first time since………. you get it, I'm…. looking…….. forward…….t-to…….. school. Whew, that was a struggle to get out, anyways, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, it **_did_** take 3 hours, but I slept and awoke in the morning, horrified.

NOTE: Muhahaha, CLIFFHANGER! Well, if you actually **_care_** about my story, it is. The wonderful and elegant JackFan7 apologizes for the wait, guess I don't have such a great excuse 'cept short-term memory. Please review, I love hearin' from y'all, and make no comment about the accent, yes, I'm Texan and proud of it! waves Texas flag like crazy GO TEXAS!


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